What is Martha’s Rule and what does it mean for patients and their families?

Martha’s Rule has been rolled out across all emergency departments in England to support patients and their families when seeking a review of their care.

In this blog, our medical negligence solicitors explain what Martha’s Rule is and what it means for those receiving care at England’s A&E units.

This blog was originally published in October 2023 and revised in September 2026 to reflect Martha’s Rule becoming law.

What is Martha’s Rule?

Martha’s Rule is a new law that gives everyone in England the legal right to seek a rapid review from another specialist doctor or team in the same hospital who is independent of the team treating the patient.

It’s named after Martha Mills, who fell off her bike and suffered a laceration to her pancreas. She was admitted to King’s College Hospital, a specialist centre for children, with pancreatic injuries. Her condition was not deemed life-threatening; however, when her condition deteriorated, her parents raised concerns, which doctors repeatedly brushed off. Martha died from sepsis days later. The sepsis could have been treated, and Martha’s death was deemed by the coroner to be avoidable.

Martha’s mother, Merope Mills, has campaigned ever since for the NHS to bring in Martha’s Rule, an initiative that gives patients and their families more power to seek an urgent independent review when they feel they aren’t being heard by their current doctor.

This is different from the existing concept of seeking a ‘second opinion’ about a diagnosis in a non-urgent context.

Martha’s Rule was backed by Health Secretary Steve Barclay in September 2023, after meeting with Merope.

How to ask for Martha’s Rule

Pilot programmes have been running since 2024, and on 22^nd September 2026, it was rolled out across all A&E settings in England. The aim is for it to be available in all acute settings as soon as possible. There is a phased approach to roll out.

If you visit a hospital, you may see signs with the Martha’s Rule phone number for that hospital, but you need to ask whether the Rule is in place there yet, as it is not currently universally available.

How can Martha’s Rule help patients and their families?

Martha’s case is a harsh reminder that sepsis still goes unnoticed, despite clear warning signs.

The UK Sepsis Trust reports that there are around 48,000 deaths attributed to sepsis annually in the UK, and approximately 25% of these would have been preventable with a timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Raising awareness of sepsis and its symptoms is vital, and campaigns such as World Sepsis Awareness Day no doubt help with this. However, unfortunately, the diagnosis of sepsis is sometimes delayed or missed by medical professionals, and this is where Martha’s Rule and an emphasis on seeking a second opinion can be invaluable.

Some NHS Trusts in England have already introduced a system called ‘Call 4 Concern’, which enables patients and families to access a critical care team where they feel their concerns about a family member are not being addressed. This was first pioneered at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

A seven-year review of the scheme found that 95% of calls used the service appropriately and that in a fifth of those cases, significant interventions were required.

The NHS has a Quality, Service Improvement and Redesign tool called ‘Fresh Eyes’, which encourages members of staff to invite other members of staff to discuss challenges they face.

Medical staff should not feel undermined by a request for an urgent review; most recognise that a fresh pair of eyes is often needed to look over our work and spot any errors.

Contact us about making a sepsis compensation claim

If you or a loved one has experienced a delayed sepsis diagnosis, it’s natural to want some answers.

Our specialist medical negligence solicitors can help you get the answers you need and recover compensation to fund rehabilitation and care.

You can discuss a potential sepsis claim by calling 0117 325 2929 or completing our online enquiry form.